“Fuck CO2”: carbonauten and Arburg Cooperate in the Production of CO2-Negative Materials

Are you working on achieving CO2 neutrality for your company? Wonderful! Torsten Becker and the team at carbonauten GmbH are taking it a step further: under the motto “fuck CO2,” they aim to develop a global, decentralized network of factories that, using recycled wood and other natural materials, produce custom “NET Materials®” (Negative Emission Technology) for industrial clients. The goal is for these materials not only to be cheaper than conventional plastics but to be of higher quality, thanks to the unique properties of the integrated carbon. We spoke with Torsten Becker about his vision and the current challenges in bringing this idea to life. The entrepreneur also shares insights into the ongoing collaboration with injection molding machine manufacturer Arburg.

Torsten Becker (left) and Co-Founder/Shareholder Christoph Hiemer

Torsten, thank you for taking the time to speak with us! How would you describe what the carbonauten do in an elevator pitch?

Carbonauten GmbH develops and produces industrial raw materials and semi-finished products based on bio-carbons and bio-oils in decentralized factories.

Your products are not only intended to be CO2-negative, but also cheaper and of higher quality than conventional plastics. How does that work?

We source our carbon from reclaimed wood and other woody biomass waste that would otherwise be burned or rot. An example is our durable seat shells for Deutsche Bahn. Instead of expensive ABS plastic, we can make the seat shells from a sustainable granulate based on powdered biochar and affordable polypropylene. The composite material produced this way is not only particularly economical but, thanks to the beneficial properties of embedded carbon, scratch-resistant, stable, UV-resistant, and even lighter than conventional seat shells. Additionally, the biochar colors the seat shells black, making environmentally harmful industrial soot from petroleum—a fossil CO2 source—unnecessary.

To operate CO2-negatively, it’s essential for us to be close to our customers and avoid long transport routes. That’s why we’re planning a network of decentralized factories in different countries. Knowing that carbon in the soil also promotes plant growth, we aim to launch model projects with regional tenants, using fertilizer we produce from biochar. The biochar does not decompose, making it a CO2 sink. This way, we can produce our own reclaimed wood, creating a closed loop.

That sounds like big plans. But how does implementation look?

In November 2023, we officially started building the world’s largest carbonization plant for CO2 capture and storage in Chibi City, Hubei Province, China. By early 2026, approximately 30,000 tons of biochar, 30,000 tons of pyrolysis oils, and 170,000 MWh of base-load capable thermal energy will be produced annually from 100,000 tons of regional old bamboo. Around 60,000 tons of plastic granulate will be produced from the biochar. The bio-oil will be used as a raw material in the chemical industry, with the acidic fraction serving as an affordable biostimulant and eco-friendly biocide in agriculture.

Our first site in Germany is expected to start operating this year in Eberswalde. However, hesitant investors are making the launch here anything but easy.

What do you mean by that?

For our factory in China, with an investment of 120 million euros, we’ve already secured 15 million euros in exchange for a 10% stake in our local subsidiary over five years. Additionally, we have a letter of intent with the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) for potential support of up to 1.1 billion euros for expanding our decentralized factory network. ABC would finance 70% of each factory.

In Germany, capital decision-makers are often conservative, gray-haired men in blue bank suits, who find interconnected physical issues overwhelming and ultimately favor ideas that aren’t sustainable in terms of ecology and economy. Germany was once a country of visionaries and makers, especially in hardware like machinery, systems, processes, and materials, which established the “Made in Germany” brand.

Those times seem to be over, as risk-averse asset managers have taken over, the opposite of an entrepreneurial type like Elon Musk. We need more women in key positions, like Vaude CEO Antje von Dewitz, Kamala Harris, or even Ursula von der Leyen, who has made significant strides at the European level.

What’s your personal vision?

I originally trained as a product designer and am a proponent of the Bauhaus philosophy. I believe good design and ecology shouldn’t be luxuries. I want to produce good products with an outstanding ecological footprint that are durable and highly recyclable—and to do this in large quantities at low prices. I want us to move away from conventional fertilizers and chemicals in agriculture and to return to a process with carbon granulate, similar to “Terra Preta,” used by Amazonian peoples centuries ago to make nutrient-poor soil fertile. This would also solve the global waste wood problem. I want our agricultural projects to serve as a model for other farmers. The social component is also important to me, as “bio” should become an affordable standard for everyone.

You’ve recently partnered with injection molding machine manufacturer Arburg. How did that happen?

A traditional charcoal maker from the Black Forest reached out to me. He produces charcoal in a very traditional way, by covering wood with soil. He found our technology exciting and personally introduced us to Arburg. There, we had the chance to present our technology and CO2-negative plastic granules to decision-makers. They were enthusiastic—a true group of doers. Sample parts were made from our materials on their in-house injection molding machines, which then passed lab tests with flying colors.

How is your partnership structured?

To maximize value creation, we want to equip our factories with Arburg machines and manufacture both industrial parts and our own products there. It makes economic sense since we can use the surplus energy from our carbonization process to power the machines. I proposed a strategic stake in Carbonauten GmbH to Arburg, as it’s beneficial for both sides and fits the hands-on mentality. Arburg’s presence in China also aligns perfectly with our plans. Additionally, we want to jointly further develop Arburg technology so that the injection molding machines are optimally adapted to the properties of our materials, which would be a selling point for Arburg.

That sounds very exciting, and we’ll definitely keep following your progress. One last question: your motto is “fuck CO2”—isn’t that a bit provocative if you want to work with more conservative major clients?

To German ears, it may sound more provocative than in the U.S., where “fuck” appears in every other sentence in everyday language. The “Fuck Cancer” prevention campaign was a huge success there years ago. For us, the priority was that our slogan would stick in people’s minds. At least 96% of people we encounter love it, which is why we plan to launch an online store under this motto in 2025 with meaningful products. Those who can’t handle it aren’t really our target audience anyway.

Contact

Website: carbonauten.com

LinkedIn: Torsten Becker